Owo Church Attack: Government Must Match Words With Action And Provide Security For Nigerians’ — Y.C Maikyau SAN

Like many Nigerians, a Senior Advocate of Nigeria and Chairman of the NBA Welfare Committee, Yakubu Chonoko Maikyau has expressed his shock on massacre of members of St. Francis Catholic Church, Owo on Sunday, 5th of June, 2022.

Offering his condolences to the wounded victims and families of the dead victims, the learned silk prayed for the quick and miraculous recovery of the minds and bodies of the wounded victims as well as the families of the victims. His message read in part thus;

He said: “Like many Nigerians, I received with shock the horrendous news of the terrorist attack at St Francis Catholic Church, Owaluwa in Owo, Owo Local Government Area of Ondo State yesterday, 5th June, 2022. My heart grieves for the families of the dead and wounded, even as I pray for the quick and miraculous recovery of their bodies and minds following Sunday’s carnage. I also extend my condolences to the Catholic community of Ondo State, the good people of the Sunshine State and Nigerians at large over this incident and indeed the many other such unfortunate killings that are going on around our nation.”

He further stressed his displeasure on the reoccurrence of killings in the country as well as his disappointment that killers would go to the extent of attacking innocent people in the place of worship.

The SAN expressed his view that this was an act meant to heighten the ethno-religious tension in the country, and he urged Nigerians not to let the plan of this ‘murderous cowards’ succeed.
According to him;

“Whilst insecurity and killings have unfortunately become a daily occurrence in our Nation, the manner and scale of yesterday’s attack at a place of worship, which ought to be a place of physical and spiritual refuge, leaves one dumbfounded. That terrorists chose the occasion of a religious festival to unleash their evil machinations bears testament to underlying motivation to their act: to exacerbate the already tensed ethno-religious mood in the Nation. Against this background, I encourage Nigerians to see through the wicked antics of the murderous cowards who seek to divide us when, in actual fact, they are the common enemy.”

Furthermore, Maikyau stated that mere addresses and condemnation by the State and Federal government was no longer sufficient and he called upon both levels of government to match their words with actions as it was their primary responsibility.

In his words;

“While the government, both at the State and Federal levels have taken turns to condemn the heinous act, we, as citizens must make it clear that such routine and often bland condemnations are not sufficient in addressing the problem. The government must be seen to match its words with action in stamping out all forms of insecurity and terrorism in the land, as the primary responsibility of government anywhere in the world is the security and welfare of the citizenry.”

He equally expressed his dissatisfaction that the incident seems to be overshadowed by the squirms and jostling of Presidential tickets by party leaders. According to the learned silk, the media and the mood of the country ought to regpect the mishaps of Sunday killings in Owo.

“I am further confounded, that this unfortunate incident seems to be overshadowed by the political jostling for presidential tickets by the political parties and our so-called leaders. In a society where lives matter, nothing else should dominate the media and mood of the country, over and above the senseless killings of yesterday. Our Politicians must be reminded that they can only prevail over a relatively peaceful Nigeria – there are no elections or office holders in a graveyard.

We as citizens and indeed the press must always emphasize the sanctity and preeminence of the human life. We must never become desensitized to the point where lives do not matter to us any longer.”

The learned silk urged the federal and State governments as well security apparatus to do everything possible to ensure they get to the bottom of the incidents and apprehend the perpetrators of this barbarous act. According to the learned silk, this was the least that is expected from the government and security agencies in addition to taking proactive steps to ensure that these unfortunate incident never repeated itself in the history of the nation.

Calling out to Nigerians, the Senior Advocate urged them to be vigilant for these are dangerous times and to engage in communual collaborations with security agencies that will make self-policing feasible in their various communities.

The learned silk ended his message with words of prayer for the country thus; May God bless Nigeria; protect us; strengthen our security forces as they defend our lives and properties; guide our seemingly unconcerned leaders to do all that is necessary to protect lives and properties; secure our borders and homes; and awaken the sleeping giant called Nigeria to its full potentials and to take its rightful place as the leader of Africa to the World, to the honor of the black man and the glory of God- Amen!